Bacterial aggregation on the teeth is known as plaque and causes dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis and other gum diseases. A variety of microorganisms are present in the oral cavity. These range from the natural flora of the host to pathogenic species. Among these microorganisms are the gram-positive rods associated with the formation of plaque (a dense, enamel-adherent, microorganism-containing polysaccharide matrix). Specific areas, including periodontal and sub gingival spaces and interpapillary spaces of the tongue present environments that harbor bacteria. These spaces are difficult to reach by tooth brushing, and are only moderately affected by standard mouthwashes. Mechanical methods have been used for some time for the prevention of dental plaque but have not generally achieved sufficient results. Studies have shown that mechanical methods, such as the use of dental floss and inter-space brushes do not efficiently eliminate plaque. The persistence of these microorganisms in such environments greatly increases the risk of calculus and plaque build-up and carrier formation, which in turn presents the danger of gingival inflammation and periodontal disease. Thus, chemical plaque control as a substitute or supplement to mechanical methods is sought. Azadiracta indica is useful for anti bacterial/antiprotozoal activity and eliminating plaque from the tooth.
The essential oil obtained from the peal off of Citrus karna is useful for discoloration of teeth or tongue, desquamation and soreness of oral mucosa, while avoiding objectionable taste, toxicity and imbalance of the oral flora. Whereas chemicals like chlorhexidine are known to stain teeth, and has been know to cause tissue necrosis of the tongue and gums which may persist in tissue. The chemically also generally have poor cleansing qualities. Hydrogen peroxide has poor antibacterial properties, but works very well by using bursts of oxygen to flush out debris and cleanse the oral cavity.
The Botanical descriptions of various plants which are known for use in various dental problems include:
Oriza sativa Family: Poaceae
Botanical description: Rice is one of the oldest of food crops and has been in cultivation in India, China, Java and East Africa from very ancient time. Carbonized paddy grains and husks have been found in the excavations at Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh) dated 1,000-800 B.C. It is an annual or perennial grass without a rhizome; leaves long and narrow, 30-50 cm.×1.2-2.5 cm., slightly pubescent with spiny hairs on the margin.Citrus karna Raf. Family: RutaceaeBotanical description: Medium trees 3-9 m tall, branches spreading spinous, spines long, sharp up to 5 cm long; Lvs. unifoliolate, petiole 1.0-1.5 cm long, marginate to very narrowly winged, lamina 9.0-10.5×5.5-6.0 cm, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-ovate, base rounded, apex subacute/retuse, maggins serrulate, coriaceous, green, flowers axillary, solitary, or in 3 or 4 nate cymes, pedicels green, short ca 5 mm long, calyx copular 5 mm long, 7 mm broad, greenish-white with purplish tinged dorsally, 20 mm long 6 mm broad, base truncate, apex obtuse, imbricate in bulbs, wide opening, narrowly oblong, slightly asymmetric above; Flowers male and bisexual, stamens about 25, irregularly polyadlphous, filament short and long, white; anthers yellowish, disc greenish, annular, lobed, pistillodes minute, ovary green, 5 mm long, oblong; style greenish-white, 1 cm long; stigma capitate, 3-4 mm long; Disc green, annular; Fruits solitary or 3-4 in end of branchlets, fruiting pedicels short, attachment not strong, 9-12×8-10 cm base concave, apex sharply mammilate, mammae flat to broad, shape subglobose to subobovoid, epicarp orange-yellowish, thick, bumpy, warty, glandular (pitted) about 1 mm thick, glands dimorphic in cross section, mesocarp white, spongy, up to 2 cm thick, sweetish endocarp 8 or 9 segments, attachment strong, flesh orange-yellowish, juice sour, aromatic, central axis solid to semi hollow, white, juice glands slender, tapering; Seeds 10-12 mm long, 4-6 mm broad, ovoid—oblong, seed coat creamy white, streaked, inner coat grey-brownish, cotyledon white, chalazal spot reddish, polyembryonic.Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Family: MeliaceaeBotanical description: Commonly called Neem, abundantly found in Indian sub-continent. It is a large sized evergreen tree, with alternate, exstipulate green coloured bitter leaves, new leaves may appear in March-April.Phytochemistry: Siddiqui (1942) isolated crystalline bitter compound nimbidin, Butterworth and Morgan (1968) isolated azadiractin in crystalline form.Medicinal use: Azadirachta indica, a plant used widely in Ayurveda, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and adaptogenic properties. The present study evaluates its hepatoprotective role. Fresh juice of tender leaves of Azadirachta indica (200 mg/kg body wt. p.o.) inhibited paracetamol (2 g/kg body wt. p.o.)-induced lipid peroxidation and prevented depletion of sulffhydryl groups in liver cells. There was an increase in serum marker enzymes of hepatic damage (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase) after paracetamol administration. Azadirachta indica pretreatment stabilized the serum levels of these enzymes. Histopathological observations of liver tissues corroborated these findings (Yanpallewar, 2003). Neem is one of the most widely researched tropical tree, with almost all it's parts being put for a variety of uses. In the present study, the antibacterial effect of Neem mouthwash against salivary levels of streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus has been tested over a period of two months. Also it's effect in reversing incipient carious lesions was assessed. While streptococcus mutans were inhibited by Neem mouthwashes, with or without alcohol as well as chlorhexidine, lactobacillus growth was inhibited by chlorhexidine alone. The initial data appears to prove it's effect in inhibiting S. mutans and reversing incipient carious lesions, longer term clinical trials are essential (Vanka et. al. 2001)Pharmacology: Hepatoprotective activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extract against paracetamol induced hepatic damage in rats has already been reported. In the present investigation effects of Azadirachta indica leaf extract on blood and liver glutathione, Na(+)K(+)-ATPase activity and thiobarbutiric acid reactive substances against paracetamol induced hepatic damage in rats have been studied with a view to elucidate possible mechanism behind its hepatoprotective action; it was interesting to observe that Azadirachta indica leaf extract has reversal effects on the levels of above mentioned parameters in paracetamol hepatotoxicity (Chattopadhyay 2003). Azadirone-1, a limonoidal constituent of Azadirachta indica is found to possess potent cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines in our in vitro studies. In vitro screening of a number of semi-synthetic analogues of 1 revealed that the alpha,beta-unsaturated enone moiety or its equivalent conjugated system in A-ring, C-7 acetyloxy/chloroacetyloxy or keto group in B-ring and the furan moiety are responsible for the activity of 1 and its analogues. Compound 1 and two of the semi-synthetic analogues 10 and 13 were found to possess good in vivo antitumor activity in modified hollow fiber animal models (Nanduri, 2003).Zanthoxylum armatum D.C. Family: RutaceaeBotanical description: Commonly known as Timur or Nepali Dhaniya, An armed, scandent or erect shrub or a small tree, 6 m. tall or more with dense foliage, found in a hot valleys of the Himalaya from Jammu to Bhutan at altitudes of 1,000-2,000 m. in Khasi hills at 600-1,800 m. and in the eastern ghats of in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh at 1,200 m. The dried pericarp of ripe fruit of Zanthoxylum spp. of family Rutaceae, has been used for epigastric pain accompanied by cold sensation, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain due to intestinal parasitosis, ascariasis and used externally for eczema. The external features as characters of pericarp, the occurrence of hairs on fruit stalk, the presence and location of pigment and crystals of hesperidin, the thickness of the cell walls of endocarp and the presence and shape of nonglandular hairs on fruit stalk were important for the identification of these drugs.Medicinal uses: The bark, fruits and seeds are extensively used in indigenous system of medicines as a carminative, stomachic and anthelmintic. An extract of fruits is reported to be effective in expelling round worms. Because of their deodorant, disinfectant and antiseptic properties, the fruits are used in dental troubles, and their lotion for scobies.Phytochemistry: The essential oil obtained from seeds contains Linalool (64.1%), Linalyl acetate, citral, geraniol methyl cinnamate, limonene, sabinene etc. A new amide designated as armatamide (I)-along with two lignans, asarinin and fargesin, alpha- and beta-amyrins, lupeol, and beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside-has been isolated from the bark of Zanthoxylum armatum. The structure of the new compound was deduced by spectral and chemical analysis as N-(4′-methoxyphenyl ethyl)-3, 4-methylenedioxy cinnamoyl amide (Kalia et al, 1999).Pharmacology: A total of 11 methanol extracts obtained from four different Nepalese Zanthoxylum species were screened for their antiproliferative activity against the growth of human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). The extract obtained from Z. armatum barks was highly active with an IC50 value of 11 micrograms/mL. Also, the extracts obtained from Z. oxyphyllum barks and roots with IC50 values of 53 and 57 micrograms/mL, respectively, showed potent activity. Their antiproliferative activity was not due to cytotoxic effects on cell membranes, as documented by the activity of lactate dehydrogenase released from the cytoplasm of keratinocytes, which did not exceed that of the control value. Rather, they also protected against radical-induced damage to model membranes stimulated with 2,2′-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (Kumar & Muller, 1999).